Leather-cutting machine.



I. I. CUNNINGHAM.

LEATHER CUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I9I8.

1,297,108. PINGUINI Mar. 11,1919.

ELE-l. if@ l F/f O 9 Q o 1 l n 4 l, @Z

"' pnrrnnsrarns PATENT onirica;

. JoHN J. CUNNINGHAM, or MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

` l LEATHER-CUTTING MACHINE.Y

.Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. ii, 1919.

Application filed February 9, 1918. Serial'NozZlGS. 1

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. CUNNINGHAM, a citizen of theUnited'States, residing at Manchester, inthe County of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-Cutting Machines; and 1 I do declare the following to be a fullgclear, and eXact description` of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Vwhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the cutting of leather and more particularly to a machine for stripping Texas oak leather bends. It is Well lmown that oak leather bends cannot be cut by the now used circular disk method or by the gage chopping machine, and the use of leather cutting saws is undesirable on account ofthe necessary waste of material and the ragged edges produced. The object 0f my invention therefore is the provision of a simple and efficient machine for cutting oak leather bends into strips of any required width.

With the foregoing general object in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specication 'and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation partly in section; and

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical transverse section showing more particularly the manner in which the coiled springs connect the presser bar with the set screws.

In the drawings above briefly described;y

the nume-ral 1 designates an appropriate ta* ble preferably supportedon legs 2, said table having near one edge a longitudinal slotV 3 in which the upper horizontal reach of a pronged 4feed chain 4 travels, said chain passing around suitable sprockets 5 and an appropriate chain tightener 6 andV being driven in any preferred manner.

Above the Slot 3 is a longitudinal presser bar 7 having its ends turned upwardly at 8, it being the oflice of this bar to hold the leather in anti-slipping engagement with the feed chain 4. The upper side ofl bar 7 4is provided with suitable necksv 9v havingY heads 10 on their upper ends, and immediately above thesel heads are located similar heads 1l formedon necks 12 which depend from a plurality of vertical set screws 13, these yscrews being threaded through horizontal arms 14 which are disposed above the table l, one end of said arms being directed downwardly at 15 and secured to the table a suitable distance from the slot 3. Coiled springs 16 are interposed between the set screws 13 and the presser bar 7, the endmost convolutions of said springs being coiled around the necks 9 and 12 so that the springs are carried by the set screws and said presser bar is supported by said springs, the engagement of the springs and set screws being sufficiently loose to form a swivel, so that thescrews may be tightened o-r loosened as required to vary the force with which the presser bar 7 is engaged with the leather by the springs 16.

The free end of the rearmost transverse arm 14 is provided with a vertically extend ing lug 17 which preferably projects downwardly, and below this lug the table 1 is formed with an opening 18. An inclined knife 19 is secured by a suitable clamping bolt 2O to the lug 17 and projects at its lower end through the opening 18, this knife being spaced laterally an appropriate distance from the slot 3 and the chain 4.

Preferably located under the arm 14 last referred to, but otherwise positioned at any suitable point, is a gage 21 secured adjustablyto the table 1 by a bolt and slot connection 22 or by any other preferred means, this gage serving to abut the edge of the leather to control the width of the strips to be cut therefrom.

In operation, the leather is fed along the table l beneath the presser bar 7 by means "of the feed chain 4 and the knife 19 comes into play to cut such leather into strips. The width of these Strips may be controlled by adjusting the gage 21 and whenever necessary more or less pressure may be applied to the bar 7 by tightening or loosening the set screws 13. The improved machine is designed particularly for cutting Texas oak leather bendsas will be clear from the introductory paragraphs, and it performs this function to great advantage, but I wish it vopening below said lug,

understood that its use is not restricted to any particular eld and in fact that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may well be made.

l cla-im:

l. A leather cutting machine comprising a table having a longitudinal slot, an endless feed chain whose upper reach travels in said slot, a longitudinal presser bar above said slotsprings attached to said bar and rising therefrom, set screws connected to the Vupper ends of said springs, horizontal transverse arms support-ing` said set screws and having downturned ends secured to said table at points spaced laterally from said slot,

one of said arms having a vertically extending lug on its Jfree end, said table having an anda leather cutting blade secured at its upper end to said lug and extending at its lower end through said opening.

2. ln a leather cutting machine, a knife, means for feeding the leather to said knife consisting of a feed chainand a presser bar parallel thereto, heads having necks secured to the side of said bar opposite said chain, set screws alined with said heads and having other heads joined by necks to their free ends, coiled springs having their endniost convolutions coiled around said necks, and supporting means for said screws.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. CUNNNGHAM.

Witnesses v Aecrnn Gr. BAKER, Louis A. TURcorTn.

'Genies ort'his patent may be obtained forve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents Washington, 3E. 

